Saturday, November 17, 2007

SES SIRIUS 4 Satellite Successfully Launched

The SES SIRIUS 4 communications satellite was successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Proton/Breeze M launch vehicle by International Launch Services (ILS).



SIRIUS 4, which was designed and built by Lockheed Martin, will provide direct-to-home broadcast and interactive services across Scandinavia, Europe and Africa. It features 46 active Ku-band high-power transponders in the BSS and FSS frequency band. In addition, it is equipped with an active Ka-band transponder for interactive applications in the Nordic and Baltic regions. The spacecraft is equipped with a sub-Sahara African beam to complement existing coverage of Africa, which is accomplished using six additional active Ku-band FSS transponders. Additionally, there is an interconnect payload that connects Africa and Europe with a second Ka-band transponder.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com

http://www.astra.lu